Bag for prevention of putrefaction of foodstuffs, and a structure for prevention of putrefaction of foodstuffs contained in the bag

ABSTRACT

The present invention has for its object to provide a bag for preventing foodstuffs from becoming rotten due to the penetration of bacteria, mold and the like. As shown in FIG. 1, the bag includes an interior bag on which a calcined calcium powder is carried, and an exterior bag applied over the interior bag. Preferably, the interior bag is formed of a porous material such as a woven or unwoven fabric and the exterior bag is a high-strength flexible container bag. Preferably, the interior bag contains a foodstuff that has been disinfected and sterilized, such as rice or soybean, or a foodstuff added and mixed with the calcined calcium powders.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a bag for prevention of putrefaction or rotting of foodstuffs and a structure for prevention of putrefaction or rotting of foodstuffs contained in the bag.

BACKGROUND ART

So far, the storage of foodstuffs in a storage container such as a bag has been widely practiced.

Under high temperature-and-humidity open air conditions, however, a problem with such storage is that the foodstuffs inside are likely to be contaminated or rotten due to penetration of mold or bacteria.

To avoid this, the bag or other container is sealed up to keep the foodstuff airtight.

In addition, an antibacterial agent is carried on or kneaded in a bag material to produce an antibacterial bag in which foodstuff is charged for the purpose of preventing the foodstuff from becoming rotten.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Subject Matter of the Invention

However, it has been still difficult to prevent the foodstuffs inside from becoming rotten over an extended period of time by use of the aforesaid conventional art.

Grains such as rice or soybean harvested in large amounts are contained in a flexible container bag for the purpose of transportation and storage; however, there is a problem that during long-term storage especially in high temperature-and-humidity atmospheres, bacteria or mold penetrate into the bag from outside to cause a large amount of grains inside to become rotten with the result that there is no choice but to dispose of them.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has for its object to provide a solution to the aforesaid problem by the provision of a bag for preventing putrefaction of foodstuffs and a structure for preventing putrefaction of foodstuffs, as embodied below.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[1] A bag configured to prevent putrefaction of foodstuffs, characterized by comprising an interior bag having a calcined calcium powder carried on a bag surface, and an exterior bag applied over the interior bag.

[2] The bag according to [1], characterized in that the interior bag is formed of a porous material such as a woven or unwoven fabric, and the exterior bag comprises a high-strength bag.

[3] The bag according to [1] or [2], characterized by comprising a flexible container bag.

[4] A structure configured to prevent putrefaction of foodstuffs, characterized by comprising an interior bag having a calcined calcium powder carried on a bag surface and an exterior bag applied over the interior bag, wherein a foodstuff is contained within the interior bag.

[5] A structure configured to prevent putrefaction of foodstuffs, characterized by comprising an interior bag having a calcined calcium powder carried on a bag surface and an exterior bag applied over the interior bag, wherein a foodstuff that has been disinfected and sterilized is contained within the interior bag.

[6] A structure configured to prevent putrefaction of foodstuffs, characterized by comprising an interior bag having a calcined calcium powder carried on a bag surface and an exterior bag applied over the interior bag, wherein a foodstuff that is added and mixed with a calcined calcium powder is contained within the interior bag.

[7] The structure of any one of [4] to [6], characterized in that each bag is a flexible container bag.

Advantages of the Invention

According to the invention disclosed herein, it is possible to protect the foodstuffs inside against putrefaction due to penetration of bacteria, mold or the like.

Although the interior bag having calcined calcium carried on the bag surface has low strength, yet it is possible to prevent such contents as large amounts of rice, wheat or other grain from becoming rotten over an extended period of time because the exterior bag is made of a high-strength flexible container bag or the like.

Because the interior bag may be replaced with a new one, the flexible container bag may be used as the exterior bag any number of times as it stands.

BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the flexible container according to the invention of this application.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the flexible container according to the invention of this application.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Some modes for carrying out the invention of this application will now be specifically explained.

First of all, the calcined calcium used herein is a powdery material obtained by calcinating (firing) at 800 to 1,200° C. of a biological calcium carbonate-containing material such as scallops, egg's shells, and corals. Having an antibacterial/bactericidal action as well as an anti-mold action, this powdery material is accepted as a safe food additive.

The calcined calcium is composed mainly of CaO (calcium oxide), and may further include Ca(OH)₂ (calcium hydroxide powder) that is a hydroxide thereof having the same effect in the invention of this application.

Those calcium powders have a particle size of the order of 5 to 1,000 μm. They are harmless to the human body even if taken in or ingested; in fact, they provide a useful calcium mineral nutrient.

It is here appreciated that the calcined calcium may be used in combination with other antibacterial agents harmless to the human body such as organic antibacterial agents derived from plants, silver fine powders, and platinum fine powders.

Inside of the exterior (outer) bag configured to cover the interior bag, the interior bag is provided in a double-bag state. Even if the exterior bag is damaged or broken, the foodstuff contained in the interior bag such as grain would be fully protected.

In the invention of this application, therefore, the interior bag may be weaker in strength than the exterior bag.

For the purpose of transporting and storing powders such as grains in large amounts, the flexible container bag is a container that is formed in a bag shape using a foldable flexible material, and comprises a lift configured to lift up powders and an opening configured to charge and discharge powders. This flexible container may receive a load of about 0.5 to about 3 tones; in particular, a flexible container bag for receiving grains or the like should have air permeability.

For instance, a flexible container bag for containing grains comprises an exterior (outer) bag made of a woven fabric or sheet formed of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), vinyl chloride resin (PVC), and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), and has a thickness of about 0.3 mm to about 3 mm.

The interior (inner) bag is preferably capable of carrying calcined calcium powders. It may be a film or sheet that is the same as the exterior bag in terms of quality; however, it is preferably made of a porous material such as a woven or unwoven fabric.

The thickness may be about 0.3 mm to about 5 mm.

Referring to how to carry the calcined calcium powder, a mixture paste in which a small amount of adhesive, preferably edible starch, PVA, and an aqueous solution of alginic acid or gelatin is mixed with a calcined calcium powder may be deposited onto the surface (or back) of the interior bag, and then dried.

As the interior bag is formed of an entirely porous woven or unwoven fabric, it may allow for a large amount of mixture paste to be carried thereon, enhancing the storage effect of the foodstuff inside. In the mixture paste, 5 to 100 parts by weight of adhesive and 1 to 100 parts by weight of water are preferably added to and mixed with 100 parts by weight of the calcined calcium powder.

The foodstuff to be charged or contained in the interior bag may be grains such as rice, soybean and wheat at harvest or, alternately, it may be a foodstuff that has previously been disinfected and sterilized by overheated steam or the like.

Further, if a small amount of calcined calcium powder (for instance, 0.01 to 1.0%) is added to and mixed with grain or other foodstuff to be contained in the interior bag, the foodstuff contained inside can be fully protected against rotting and molding and, hence, stored over even longer periods of time.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the flexible container bag according to the invention of this application, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of that container bag.

The flexible container bag of the invention is generally indicated by capital F, and comprises an exterior (outer) bag 1, an interior (inner) bag 2, a carrying (lid) sheet 2′, and grain (e.g., rice or soybean) 3 contained inside.

The interior (inner) bag 2 is preferably made of a porous material such as a woven or unwoven fabric so that the calcined calcium powder can be easily carried thereon. The interior bag 2 is formed of the same material as the carrying sheet 2′; it is made of a woven or unwoven fabric on which the calcined calcium powder is carried.

The exterior (outer) bag 1 is preferably formed of a material strong enough to be not broken thanks to the weight or the like of the grain or other content, for instance, a flexible container bag.

It is here noted that the addition and mixing of the grain contained inside to and with the calcined calcium in an amount of about 0.01 to about 0.5% is also very effective for long-term storage purposes.

It is also preferable that a plurality of woven or unwoven fabric pieces having the calcined calcium carried thereon are vertically or transversely dispersed and located in some places of the grain layer contained inside.

One example of the flexible container bag is given below by way of illustration alone.

The interior (inner) bag is provided by forming a 1-mm thick woven fabric with calcined calcium powders carried thereon into a cylindrical shape (having an inside diameter of 1,400 mm and a height of 1,600 mm), and has a charge opening formed in a cylindrical shape (having an inside diameter of 1,100 mm and a height of 800 mm). The discharge opening of the interior bag is formed in a cylindrical shape (having an inside diameter of 1,200 mm and a height of 600 mm).

The exterior (outer) bag is provided by forming a 1 mm-thick woven fabric or rubber sheet in a cylindrical shape (having an inside diameter of 1,500 mm and a height of 1,000 mm), and has a charge opening in a cylindrical shape (having an inside diameter of 1,200 mm and a height of 900 mm). The discharge opening of the exterior bag is formed in a cylindrical shape (having an inside diameter of 1,300 mm and a height of 800 mm).

According to the invention of this application as described above, the interior bag capable of having antibacterial and antifungal actions is used so that even when bacteria and mold fungi penetrate into the interior bag via the exterior bag from outside, they are held back by the interior bag 2, ensuring the safety of the content over an extended period of time.

EXPLANATION OF THE REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   1: Exterior bag of the flexible container bag -   2: Interior bag -   2′: Carrying (lid) sheet -   3: Grain contained inside -   F: Flexible container bag 

1. A bag configured to prevent putrefaction of foodstuffs, characterized by comprising an interior bag having a calcined calcium powder carried on a bag surface, and an exterior bag applied over the interior bag.
 2. The bag of claim 1, wherein the interior bag is formed of a porous material such as a woven or unwoven fabric, and the exterior bag is formed of a high-strength bag.
 3. The bag of claim 1, wherein the bag is a flexible container bag.
 4. A structure configured to prevent putrefaction of foodstuffs, comprising an interior bag having a calcined calcium powder carried on a bag surface and an exterior bag applied over the interior bag, wherein a foodstuff is contained within the interior bag.
 5. A structure configured to prevent putrefaction of foodstuffs, comprising an interior bag having a calcined calcium powder carried on a bag surface and an exterior bag applied over the interior bag, wherein a foodstuff that has been disinfected and sterilized is contained within the interior bag.
 6. A structure configured to prevent putrefaction of foodstuffs, comprising an interior bag having a calcined calcium powder carried on a bag surface and an exterior bag applied over the interior bag, wherein a foodstuff that is added and mixed with a calcined calcium powder is contained within the interior bag.
 7. The structure of claim 4, wherein each bag is a flexible container bag. 